The day started the same as a thousand and one others − with the sharp buzz of the alarm clock beside his bed, like the angry drone of a summer bee caught in a glass jar. It is not true that a bee will only sting you as a last resort, or that it can […]

It’s the sixth of December and the downstairs bathroom is the only place in the house not already decorated for Christmas. In here, everything is a shade of yellow. Magnolia walls. Lemon soap dispenser. My moon face in the mirror. I read the letter again. A few phrases are sharper than others on the creased […]

It took a moment for Michael to realise that it was his doorbell that was ringing. He wasn’t expecting a visitor or a parcel and it was weeks now since any flowers had been delivered. His first reaction was dread. He was too raw and fragile to deal with anything or anyone unfamiliar. He even […]

The city museum is free, and that’s one thing. So far this morning they’ve spent no more than five minutes in any of the places they’ve visited, chased by the cold and the crowds. Sephy had forgotten how bleak it was in England at this time of year, so close to Christmas. Some of her […]

Before my husband’s night shift, I put a three-bean chilli on the table and kiss him on the head. He is holding his phone in his hand and scrolling through his December rota. The night of the 24th is marked as LN − long night. As is the following night. I had only just put […]

Sarah Jones is a Northern Irish writer, based in Oxford. She started writing as a teenager, publishing stories on the social networking site Bebo for her friends to read. Since then, she has had stories published in indie magazines and online. Sarah’s work has appeared on the Reflex Fiction Blog, in Jupiter Magazine, and in […]

Deborah Jenkins is the author of Braver, a Fairlight Books novel publishing on 30 June 2022. Deborah is a freelance writer and primary teacher who has worked in schools in the UK and abroad. She has written several educational textbooks, as well as articles for the TES online and Guardian Weekend, among other publications. Her […]

Stephen Burgen grew up in Montreal before moving to London. For the past twenty years he has lived in Barcelona, where he works as a freelance journalist writing about Spain. He primarily writes for The Guardian and Observer, but has also previously written for The Times, Independent and Financial Times, among others. In between struggling […]

Helen Salsbury’s fiction explores the complexity of relationships and how we are shaped by the environments we live in. She is a spoken word performer, trained community journalist and the founder of the Pens of the Earth environmental writing project. Helen started writing pretty much as soon as she started reading – or perhaps it’s […]

William Lewis took early retirement in 2011 after a wide-ranging career in further and adult education, and learned to fly a helicopter. He also joined a samba band and, in 2018, a writing group. Despite recent restrictions, he continues to enjoy the opportunities of life and the possibilities of creativity. William has always enjoyed writing, […]